3 soldiers killed in bomb explosion in Abyan

An explosion caused by a roadside bomb hit a security vehicle in Yemen’s southern province of Abyan on Tuesday, killing at least three soldiers and wounding four others, a government official told Xinhua.

A roadside bomb blast struck a security vehicle in the entrance of Mahfed town of Abyan province, causing a huge explosion in the area, said the local government official, who asked to remain anonymous.

He said the explosion killed at least three members of the newly-recruited security forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition and injured four others at the scene.

The injured security members were immediately evacuated by an ambulance to a nearby hospital for medical care, he added.

Security reinforcements backed by armored vehicles were sent to the area from Abyan’s capital of Zinjibar city, according to local residents.

It is unclear which faction of the militant groups, such as al-Qaida or the Islamic State, was responsible for the attack. However, security sources blamed the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch that more frequently uses roadside bombs.